3 > Image 3 of Kentucky fruit notes, vol. 4, No. 5, Fall 1951

Part of Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station

Results navigation

1951 STRAWEERRIES AT
WESTERN KENTUCKY EXPERIMENT SUBSTATION, PRINCETON
W. D. Armstrong
Weather Influence; The wet growing season in 1950 result-
ed in one of the thickest stands of plants (heaviest matted rows)
seen in several seasons in all sections of the State. Fortunately,
there was a thick snow covering protecting the berry plants during
the record subzero weather of late November 1950 and also during
the record subzero spell of early February 1951. Such weather
without the snow covering would have virtually destroyed the
berry crops as well as young wheat, alfalfa and other types of
ground cover. Following a wet and early spring in 1951, dry
weather started in May and continued through strawberry picking
season in western, southern, and central Kentucky, cutting ex-
pected yields by half or more. Rains came in time to help the
berry harvest in northern Kentucky.
Variety Performance at Western Kentucky Experiment Sub-
station, Princeton; Variety yields at the Princeton Substation in
Z4-quart crates per acre are listed below:
Crates
Blakemore ............ 104
Tennessee Beauty ......... 100
Fairland ............ t . 98
Temple .............. 93
Vermilion ............. 85
Tennessee Shipper ........ 8l
Aroma .............. 71
Tennessean ............ 69
Armore .............. 64
Sioux ............... Z5
In Kentucky, Blakemore is still the leading commercial and
home-use variety, followed by Tennessee Beauty which has re-
placed Aroma. Tennessee Shipper also is now a well-established
commercial variety over most of Kentucky.
Fairland, Temple, and Vermilion are all three resistant to
the red stele root rot disease and can be grown satisfactorily on
land infected with that serious disease. The varieties grown gen-
erally in Kentucky are subject to red stele and cannot be grown
satisfactorily on infected fields. These three varieties are not
firm enough to be first-class commercial berries, butare satis -
factory for short hauls, local sales, home use, and quick freezing.
Tennessean, the newest introduction from Tennessee, was
disappointing this year because of its low yield, soft berries, and
dark red color which made it less attractive. Also, during a
3